Little Estel
by Dragonfire - Jessie Sparrow
Summary: Little Estel's first meeting with a dwarf. Short story.


The dwarves glared at Elrond as he spoke to the dwarves, hobbit and Gandelf as he led them through the halls of Rivendale. 'You are most welcome here, for as long as you need Master Oakenshild,' Elrond said as he led the company into the meeting chamber so they may discuss what the company needed when they left Rivendale.

The meeting went on with little insults on either side, mainly because Elrond was restrained and because Gandelf did the talking for the dwarves. Just as the meeting was about to be adjourned to allow the dwarves to rest and clean up before supper the door of the meeting room was thrown open and a young child ran into the room with tears streaming down his cheeks. The dwarves and hobbit froze as they did not know what to do in this situation even if some of them had children back home. But they need not have worried because as soon as the boy spied Elrond he made a beeline for him.

'Ada!' he cried as he held his little arms out and Elrond swooped down and picked him up bringing him to his chest.

'Estel! Seldo what is wrong?' Elrond asked panic in his eyes even as he tried to remain calm, his answer came in the form of his oldest children, twins Elladan and Elrohir. 'Elladan! Elrohir! What have you done to your toron now?' Elrond asked clearly angry as he started at the two fully grown elves, who were technically still classes as children.

'Er. . .well. . . we. . .er,' Elladan stuttered as he looked at his father and crying brother who was shaking in Elrond's grasp.

'Well?!' Elrond demanded and Elrohir sighed.

'We got annoyed with him so we shouted at him and threatened to spank him,' he replied and Elrond's eyes lit up with fire.

'You threatened to spank him because he annoyed you? You know we do not use corporal punishment here! If he is in trouble he gets a time out! Just as you two and Arwen did!' Elrond said, his voice calm but his eyes betraying the emotion within his body. 'You know as well as I that before his father died he abused Estel! Even though he was only a baby at the time!' he added and both the twins lowered their eyes to the ground in shame. 'Go to your room I will deal with this later once I have finished here,' Elrond declared and the twins scurried from the room.

Elrond took a deep breath before turning to the other occupants in the room. 'My apologies for that display. My sons have began to act out more as they are nearing the age where they can leave Imladris,' Lord Elrond said as he rubbed the back of the young boy who was starting to calm down now.

'No need to apologies Lord Elrond,' Gandelf smiled and Elrond bent his head in thanks.

'Mithrandir?' a small voice asked and the boy looked up and noticed for the first time the others in the room. 'Oops. I in. . . in. . . in'trupted your meeting ada? I'm sorry,' the little boy said his eyes downcast.

'No Estel it is OK, I would rather you interupt my meetings when you are sad then let it bottle up inside you until you lash out,' Elrond reassured, as this had happened once and it was not pretty.

'OK ada,' Estel said before he started wriggling wanting to get down from the Elf Lord's arms. Elrond complied but kept a hand on Estel's curly black head to prevent him from straying to far from him. 'Ada?' Estel asked eyeing the visitors with his grey eyes.

'Yes Estel?' Elrond asked looking down at his son.

'Why are their dwarves and a hobbit here?' he asked tipping his head back to look at his ada with confusion marring his face.

'I'm not all that sure myself Estel but we will welcome them will we not?' Elrond asked and Estel grinned before nodding his head really fast in agreement. He then ran from his ada to stand in-front of Throin.

'Your really tall for a dwarf,' he said his head cocked to the side as he studied the king. Thorin just stared at the boy not sure what to do, sure he raised Fili and Kili but they were dwarves, this was obviously a man child.

'Say thank you Uncle,' Kili whispered in his ear.

'Thank you?' Throin asked and the little boy beamed before clinging to the dwarfs leg which caused everyone to hold their breath to see what would happen and Elrond was about to reprimand the young boy when Throin extracted him from his leg and knelt down to the boys hight. 'What are you doing?' Thorin asked looking at the boy.

'I'm hugging you,' Estel replied.

'Why?' Throin asked.

'Because you looked sad. When I'm sad Ada always hugs me and it makes me feel better. Do you feel better now?' Estel asked looking at Throin with wide innocent eyes which made Thorin's heart melt.

'Yes much better,' Thorin reassured and even smiled to prove his point, even if he was lieing. Estel smiled and did a little jig on the spot. 'How old are you Estel?' Throin asked trying to guess the child's age but was struggling a little bit.

'I'm five!' Estel said beaming holding out his hand showing five fingers.

'Well your practically an adult already,' Throin said making Estel positively beam.

'Ada can I stay with the dwarves until they leave?' Estel asked looking at his father with large eyes.

'If it is OK with them Estel you may,' Elrond responded and Estel turned his large eyes on Thorin who just couldn't resist it no matter how hard he tried.

'Of course young one,' Throin replied.

And that was how Estel was introduced to dwarves and how he became friends so easily with Gimli several years later.


End file.
